


Choose Your Own Valentine

by a1_kitkat



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Choose Your Own Ending, Love Letters, M/M, Not Beta Read, Secret Admirer, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:53:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22752790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1_kitkat/pseuds/a1_kitkat
Summary: Alex has been receiving mysterious notes in his locker in the lead up to valentines day.Who is Alex’s mystery admirer?
Relationships: Alex Manes/Max Evans/Michael Guerin, Max Evans/Alex Manes, Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 31
Kudos: 37





	1. The Notes Appear

**Author's Note:**

> This is a ‘Choose Your Own Ending’ fic in which YOU, the reader, can choose from three different endings...
> 
> Yes, you can choose who Alex’s Valentine is!!!
> 
> I’ve never attempted anything like this before so it could fail miserably... in which case I apologize if this fic makes zero sense

“Love letters?”

Max Evans’s tone was light hearted but still enough to make Alex Manes blush and shove the fallen envelope back into his bag. His embarrassed flush spread down his neck and to the very tips of his ears. Alex jammed it deep within his bag and stood up, refusing to meet Max’s questioning gaze.

“I’m sorry” Max said as he hurried after Alex. “I wasn’t being nosey”

“Yeah, you kinda were” Alex called over his shoulder.

Max quickly caught up with him, grabbed his arm and caused them both to stop.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “Really, you know I’m not very… tactile”

“True”

“Let me drive you home, please?”

Alex slowly turned around, squinting into the sun as he still wouldn’t look at Max.

“Can you take me to the Crashdown instead? Liz is going to help me with homework” he replied.

“Isn’t she working this afternoon?”

“Yeah, she uh helps me between customers”

“What’s the subject you need help with?”

“Biology”

Max sighed.

“Okay, I’ll help instead,” he offered.

“Really? You?” Alex’s heart skipped a beat.

“I’m… okay at bio… besides, we can go to my place and there won’t be customers interrupting… and it’ll be me really apologizing for being nosey”

Alex was torn. He was worried Max would try to bring up the note again and he didn’t want to talk about it but he really did need help with his homework and if Liz couldn’t help, Max was a very suitable substitute.

He reluctantly shrugged his shoulder in agreement and the two of them headed to Max’s jeep.

They were the only ones home when Max unlocked the front door. He called out but knew his dad was at work, his mother was likely running errands and who knew where Isobel often disappeared to after school.

Alex expected to be taken into the bedroom, it’s where he always studied with Liz but Max set them up in the dining room. He didn’t say anything though; it made sense that Max, the straightest boy in school, wouldn’t want a queer like Alex in his bedroom. Or maybe his room was reserved for closer friends, like Michael Guerin.

He reached into his bag for his books and the damn note fell out again.

Max didn’t say a word but Alex could see he wanted to. They’d been going to school together for years, had had several classes together and had even worked a few group projects over the years so it wasn’t like they were strangers. Alex had even studied for quizzes with both Max and Liz since they were lab partners. 

He knew Max well enough to call themselves friends and a part of him  _ did  _ want to talk about it.

“I’m sorry I reacted the way I did” Alex said to him as he shoved the envelope back in his bag.

“It’s okay” Max smiled “you’re quite the uh the private type”

“Well, so are you”

Max smiled.

“Ask me anything, I’m an open book” he said to him.

“Are you, really?”

“Fine, I’m good at keeping secrets too so anything you say to me, stays between us”

Alex stared at him, contemplating his words.

“Someone has been leaving notes in my locker”

“Notes? As in more than one?”

“Yeah; it started right after New Years. The Wednesday after school started back. At first I thought they had the wrong locker because it was just a picture of a heart” Alex paused “then they started to get more frequent… every Monday and every Wednesday”

“You noticed a pattern?”

“I stay back those days to practice in the music room. After the bell I put my books in my locker and go play my guitar...when I go back for my books, there’s a note in my locker”

“So whoever it is, knows your routine”

Alex nodded.

“And I think they’re watching me closely because last week they mentioned a necklace I wore that day, saying the new necklace suited me… So I switched back and they commented again asking why I did that”

“Why are you hiding these notes?” Max asked “I mean, someone must care enough to send them to you?”

Alex shrugged as he opened his book.

“It’s probably some jock playing with me” he stated. “I wouldn’t put it past Kyle to prank me like that”

“That seems… cruel”

“Yeah well we both know he’s a bit of a jerk”

“Really? Just a bit?”

They both giggled and Max reached for his own textbook. Together they flew through the homework assignment and Alex offered to shout Max a milkshake as a thank you. He was quick to agree and they piled into Max’s jeep, drove to the Crashdown. They ordered a milkshake each and fries to share which were delivered to them by Liz.

“Oh no are my tutoring services no longer required?” Liz asked them.

Max laughed while Alex assured her he’d always need her. She walked away smiling.

Max asked Alex if he wanted to know where his secret admirer letters were coming from then offered to stake out his locker for him but Alex declined.

“I’m hopeful they’ll take a hint and leave me alone” Alex confessed.

“What hint?” Max pushed. “This person is writing  _ to you  _ but you have no way of responding”

“Well, I could’ve done what you said and staked out my locker but…”

“But?”

“When I realized how closely they were watching me, it creeped me out so I decided I didn’t want to engage. Worst case they keep it up till graduation but I’m sure the novelty will have worn off by then”

“And if it hasn’t?”

Alex reached for a fry; he had no response. 

He really didn’t want to be talking about this with Max of all people but it wasn’t like he had anyone else he could confide in. Both Liz and Maria would think it was romantic.

“You think they’re watching you?” Max asked. “Like  _ all  _ the time?”

“Maybe” Alex shrugged his shoulders. “The phrasing of some of the notes…”

“And you don’t recognize the handwriting?”

“They’re typed; on a computer… actually I think it’s a typewriter”

“Yeah, okay I can see how that can read either way. I mean, that definitely gives off stalker vibes”

“That’s why it’s probably Kyle messing with me. I’d know his handwriting a mile away and the notes always appear after his practice”

“You know when he has training?”

Alex blushed. “Not intentionally; everyone knows when the jocks are training… plus I often get… told to stay away from the locker room… like, just because I’m gay they assume I’m a peeping tom”

Max immediately placed his hand over Alex’s and gently squeezed it in a comforting manner.

“No one thinks you’re a peeping tom, Alex” Max assured him. Alex smiled.

He reached into his bag and pulled out the unopened envelope. Alex placed it on the table then pushed it over to Max.

“Open it, tell me I’m just… over-reacting” he said.

Max retracted his hand, picked up the envelope with ‘Alex’ typed in bold letters upon the front. His hands were shaking as he removed the single folded sheet of paper.

“ _ I wish you were mine _ ” he softly read aloud. His eyes flickered up to look at Alex who was staring into his milkshake.

“Okay, yeah” Max agreed as he folded the piece of paper and slipped it back into the envelope. “Yeah, I uh can see how that can… go either way”

Alex’s gaze shifted up to look into Max’s deep eyes.

“I mean, it’s rather… possessive? If that’s their intention but maybe more innocently they just want to be with you?” He added.

Alex reached over and grabbed the envelope.

“If that’s their intention…” he paused.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I just… still think it’s a sick prank”

“Alex-”

“Either someone is trying to scare me and it’s working or there’s someone out there that just wants to play with my heart and honestly I don’t think I can take that”

He shoved the envelope into his bag and got to his feet.

“Thanks for helping me today, Max, and,” he paused “I’m sorry for unloading all this on you”

Alex didn’t wait for any response, he shouldered his bag and took off. 

*

He didn’t stop until he got home, raced up to his room and pulled all the previous letters out. He laid them upon the desk in the order he’d received them. Alex stood up and gazed down at the small collection.

There were eleven notes in total. The first had been a single piece of paper with a heart drawn on it. The second was a hand drawn picture of a red rose.

The third was a Shakespeare quote… not that Alex had known that, he’d had to search online for it. He’d been convinced they were meant for someone else but the rest had all been in envelopes with his name on the front.

There was mention of his smile, the color of his eyes. A statement about the way the feeble sunlight bathed his face while he was studying in the library. The note about his new necklace then subsequent ditching of said necklace was proof this person was watching him too closely.

Today’s letter added to his confusion.

‘I wish you were mine’ he could still hear the words being read aloud in Max’s gentle voice. They sounded less creepy when he said them. Alex picked up Monday’s note. ‘I wish I was your guitar so you could finger me like that’

He shoved that note aside, very thankful  _ that  _ hadn’t been the one he’d shown Max. Alex didn’t want anyone to know about that one. He paused, looking over each of the notes and he picked that one up again. Alex hadn’t noticed before but this one was on different stationary. Perhaps this highly inappropriate one wasn’t from the same admirer but if not then how had it gotten there?

Was he being stalked by two different people? One who was genuinely interested in him while the other was playing with him? He sighed and sank down in the desk chair. Maybe it really  _ was  _ Kyle playing a prank on him? 

Alex collected them all up and put them in the shoebox. He hid the box under his bed but his mind just kept reading them over and over again.

At least today was Wednesday so he had a reprieve before the next note would show up.

**-**

The envelope was right there, staring at him, taunting him. Friday morning, he opened his locker to find an envelope leaning against the calendar pinned to the side wall. His heart stopped as he stared at it. He stood, transfixed, unable to reach for it.

“Alex?”

Liz’s voice was enough to snap him out of it and he immediately slammed his locker closed so she wouldn’t see it.

“Are you okay?” She asked, face full of concern. Kyle was walking beside her, arm around her waist. The look on his face was stoic.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Manes” he added.

“Yeah, I uh maybe I did” Alex stammered.

He scooped his bag up and hurried away in the opposite direction. Alex rounded a corner too quickly and ran straight into Michael Guerin. They collided and both stumbled to the ground. As he stammered an awkward, embarrassed apology, someone offered a hand to help him up. Alex reached for it and found himself staring into Max’s worried eyes.

“Are you two okay?” Max addressed them both yet he only looked at Alex, helped him to his feet, not Michael. Once Alex was standing, Max picked up his books for him then turned to help Michael up. Alex couldn’t help noticing Michael didn’t immediately let go of Max’s hand.

“I’m fine,” he replied.

“Are you running to or from something?” Michael asked him.

“Both; I guess” Alex said as he took his books from Max. “Uh, Kyle was by my locker”

He held Max’s gaze, hoping he’d understand what he was trying not to say in front of Michael.

“Kyle?” Max frowned but caught himself and nodded.

“Yeah well Valenti thinks he’s God’s gift or something” Michael spoke up, finally releasing Max’s hand. “Come on, Alex, we’ve got history in five and Ms By-the-rules will give me detention if I’m late again”

Michael grabbed Alex’s arm and started to guide him along the hall. Alex waved to Max before allowing Michael to lead him away.

“Is Valenti bothering you again?” Michael asked him.

“What?” Alex turned to look at him.

“I’m not an idiot, okay? I’ve seen the way he treats you, heard the things he says to you… about you”

Alex swallowed but immediately stood up taller.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle” he replied.

“I… didn’t say you couldn’t”

Michael was still grasping Alex’s arm but he didn’t protest, was pretty sure if Michael let go that he’d either run back to his locker for the note or run home and hide under his bed.

They were the first ones in the room; Michael dropped into his seat and Alex slipped into the desk behind him but he spent the entire lesson just staring at his fluffy curls and not listening to a single word the teacher said.

He couldn’t help picturing the way Max had taken hold of Michael’s hand, held it while they’d stood talking in the hallway. A part of him was almost jealous… he longed to hold hands with a boy in public just once. Perhaps Max  _ wasn’t  _ as straight as Alex thought.

He made it to lunch without returning to his locker but he couldn’t put it off all day. Alex went alone, opened the locker and paused when he realized the note was gone. Someone had broken into his locker and taken it!

His heart began to race. His mystery admirer stalker could get into his locker. He’d assumed they were just pressing them through the grate but there was no way to retrieve it back the same way. Alex took a step back, and could feel a panic attack coming on.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him and he turned to see Michael looking at him with the usual concern in his eyes. He could see his lips moving but couldn’t hear the words. Alex knew he was telling him to breathe so he followed his directions until the feeling passed.

Michael guided him away from the locker, out of the hall and into an empty classroom. He pushed Alex onto one of the desks and just waited for him to collect himself.

“You are super jittery today” Michael stated. “No more coffee for you”

“I don’t… drink… coffee” Alex breathed.

“Hmmmm. Maybe you should start so I can cut you off”

Alex smiled briefly as Michael sank down on the opposite desk, quietly observing him.

“So what’s with the panic attack?” He finally asked. “Did you see something in your locker that scared you?”

“Uh” Alex paused. Had Max told  _ Michael  _ what they’d talked about yesterday? Was Michael the mystery note sender? 

“No” Alex coughed and looked down at his hands. “It was what I  _ didn’t  _ see that worried me”

“What?”

“Someone… stole something from my locker and I uh I don’t know how they got in because no one knows the combination but me”

“Was it valuable? Personal?”

“I don’t know”

“You… don’t know?” Michael frowned at him.

Alex sighed and shook his head. He brought his hands up and ran them through his hair, rumpling his appearance. He hadn’t wanted anyone to know about this and now he was about to spill his guts  _ again _ … but maybe Max  _ had  _ already told him. Michael and Max were unbelievably close; it was a badly kept secret that Michael was often seen crawling in and out of Max’s window at all times of the night.

“Someone has been leaving notes in my locker” he began “and they were borderline… stalker… there was one there this morning but I didn’t open it. I went to look at it right now and it was gone… so whoever is stalking me, has access to my locker”

He looked up as Michael reached into his own bag and produced an envelope. He watched as Michael turned it over a few times in his hands. Alex’s heart lurched into his throat.

“I had second thoughts, okay?” Michael confessed. “I saw you pull a note out last week and I uh I immediately thought someone was pranking you so I… I wrote one and put it in there this morning but after you were freaked out about Valenti, I got scared you’d think this was from him so I stole it back”

“So you… haven’t been sending me notes?”

“I… including this one” he held it up “I’ve sent two”

“What did the other one say?” Alex asked. 

Michael looked firmly into his eyes.

“It was about the way you play your guitar” he stated and Alex immediately blushed.

Michael laughed.

“That’s exactly why I sent it” he insisted “I wanted to see if it were possible to make you blush… and it did”

“So admitting to watching me in class and comments about my clothes weren’t you?” Alex asked him.

“Nope”

“So I have two stalkers?”

“I’m not stalking you, Alex, I just wanted to make you blush and that was before I saw you with the other note last week… Unless someone saw you with my note and decided to send you one too…”

“Yours wasn’t the first”

“I’m already confused” Michael said as he scratched his head.

“They started after New Year’s” Alex said. “So someone was leaving them before you did… then they continued after yours but you saw me read one of theirs and thought they were continuing what  _ you  _ started…?”

“So how many mystery admirers do you have?”

Alex’s eyes sought Michael’s.

“I guess that depends if you’re one of them or not…?” He whispered.

“Do you want me to be?” Michael asked “because if there’s someone else you wish it was…”

“I uh I mean I wouldn’t be disappointed if it  _ was  _ you but you just confessed to not being the one who started it”

“You’re a nice guy, Alex” Michael said to him “and I just… know that Valenti messes with you a lot so I really don’t want your note sender to be him… but this note” he held it up for Alex to take.

He indicated for him to open it so Alex did.

The typed words on the page were simple and direct. 

‘Will you be my date to the Valentine’s dance?’

Alex slowly looked up at him. The note wasn’t signed so he wasn’t sure how he was even meant to respond.

“Guerin-” he started.

“I was scared someone might try to ‘Carrie’ you and well you don’t deserve that, Alex” Michael said to him. “So if you’d like to go and hang out, then I’d like that too… I mean, even if I’m not who you dream of spending Valentine's night with… being with a friend is better than being alone”

Michael slipped off the desk.

“Just think about it, Alex, but I’ll need an answer before the weekend so I can get a tux” he petted his shoulder “sorry if I scared you; I didn’t mean to”

Michael turned and left the classroom. Alex was still sitting at the desk with the note clutched in his hand. He’d never been asked to a dance before and never been asked out by a hot guy before either. Was he crazy enough to say no? Or crazier still to say yes?

**-**

Alex was walking by the Crashdown when he spied Michael and Max sitting together in the corner booth. He reached into his pocket, looked at the note Michael had admitted to giving him then made his way inside the cafe.

Hands in his pockets, Alex made his way over to the two friends. They both looked up as he approached.

“Alex” Max greeted him with a smile.

“Hey,” he replied.

“Hi,” Michael said. “So… you uh have an answer for me?”

“Answer?” Max turned and looked at Michael in surprise.

“Yeah” Michael said to him. “I asked Alex to the dance next week”

“You what?” Max gasped in surprise.

“Look, I thought about what you said and you were right” Alex spoke up. “And so uh I’d like it… like to spend Valentines night with you”

“Awesome” Michael said with a wink. “I look forward to it”

Alex smiled, nodded his head then turned on his heel and walked away, his heart racing with excited nerves.

#####################

  
  


**If you’d like Max to be Alex’s Valentine, Proceed to CHAPTER TWO**

**If you’d like to prolong the experience in favor of another Admirer, Proceed to CHAPTER THREE**

  
  
  
  



	2. Max

Max and Michael watched his retreating form until he’d disappeared from sight then Max immediately turned to Michael.

“You asked Alex to the dance?” Max asked him.

“So what if I did?” Michael replied.

“What’s your game here, Michael? Are you playing him?”

“What?” He scoffed. 

“Are you as bad as Kyle? Just playing a game for your own amusement?”

“Max”

“Because Alex doesn’t deserve that” he hissed as he got to his feet.

Michael immediately reached out and grabbed Max’s arm to stop him from leaving.

“Max!” He hissed. “I’m not playing him; I’m playing you”

“What?”

He pulled Max back into the booth and held his angry gaze.

“I know you like him” Michael explained. “I saw you leaving the notes in his locker…”

“So you asked him out before I could?”

“You weren’t going to ask him out” Michael snapped. 

“I… I might… one day”

“Look, I asked him as a friend, so he wouldn’t be alone on Valentine’s Day… like me… but if you really want a shot with him then you should take it”

“How? How do I find out if he’s… interested in me?”

Michael’s lips slowly broke into a wide smile.

**-**

When Alex opened his locker on Monday afternoon, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to find a note or not but his breath hitched when he spotted the familiar looking envelope. He reached for it with a trembling hand and picked it up. 

Alex opened the envelope and pulled out the single piece of paper. 

‘Will you be my valentine?’

He frowned as he read the typed words. They weren’t from Michael, that much he knew but who else could it be? The following day at school, he kept his eyes peeled, trying to determine if someone was watching him closer than anyone else but by days end he was still no closer to figuring out who his mystery admirer was.

Wednesday morning, the day before Valentine’s Day, Alex opened his locker to find a single black rose. He gasped and turned around, eyes darting up and down the hall.

“Alex?”

He turned to find Liz frowning at him.

“What’s with the rose?” She asked him.

“Someone left it in my locker” he replied.

“Really? Who?” Her eyes lit up with delight.

“I uh don’t know”

“You have a secret admirer?”

He shrugged his shoulders; now wasn’t the time to tell the whole story about the weird notes. Alex shoved the rose back into his locker then checked for one last note but there wasn’t any. He tried not to feel disappointed; the rose was clearly today’s note but how did his mystery admirer know to get him a black rose?

Alex closed his locker and headed down the hall with Liz. He stepped into the classroom and saw Michael scribbling in a notebook. Alex moved towards him and sank down on the desk beside Michael’s.

“Hey,” he said.

“Alex” Michael greeted him.

“So uh don’t suppose you were in my locker again this morning?”

“What? No note today?”

“No, no note”

“Disappointed, huh?”

“Well… maybe,” Alex confessed. “I mean, Monday’s note was pretty succinct”

“It was?”

“You don’t know what it said?”

“Why would I?”

Alex paused.

“You really don’t know, do you?” He asked. “I guess a part of me thought you were playing it coy or something”

Michael smirked.

“If you really want me to, I can break into your locker tomorrow” he said “but nothing I can say in a note will ever be as… eloquent or honest as one written by someone who likes you a lot more than I do”

The bell rang and other students began to file into the room so Alex took his seat but he spent the entire class wondering if Michael knew who his secret admirer was and just wasn’t telling him.

Once class was over, he was going to confront him but as soon as the bell rang, Michael vanished. He didn’t see him again all day.

***

He lay on his bed, clutching the single black rose between his fingers. Alex had no idea where his mystery admirer had gotten their hands on a black rose but it made his heart swell with delight.

Alex was tempted to skip school the next day but he was compelled to go and check his locker. He wasn’t really expecting anything to be waiting for him especially after yesterday’s rose but he still looked and was disappointed to not find anything.

All around him couples were exchanging gifts and walking through the school corridors holding hands and kissing. Alex wasn’t jealous but a part of him was actually looking forward to his non-date with Michael. Being not alone on Valentine’s day wasn’t something he expected to ever happen to him even if they were just hanging out as friends.

He left school early and bailed up in his room for the afternoon. Alex took his time making sure his eyeliner and nail polish were perfect before putting on his suit. He was almost out the door when he heard his father’s car so he hopped out the window instead then made his way on foot to the town gazebo where he sat and waited.

The minutes ticked by, he stared at his watch, looked around in a jitter every time he heard a noise. He started talking to himself, lecturing himself at how gullible he must be. Michael Guerin wasn’t interested in him, he’d even confessed as much so why was he here now, all dressed up to impress a guy he, himself, wasn’t even in to.

Michael was a nice enough guy, the fact he’d asked him to be his date tonight was proof of that. But Alex didn’t particularly want to spend his Valentine’s evening alone so on the arm of a charming young man would suffice for now.

But his mystery admirer was still out there, weren’t they? Had they heard a rumor that Alex was attending the dance with Michael and immediately backed off? Why were they only communicating through highly cryptic notes anyway?

Alex heard the approaching footsteps and immediately got to his feet. He opened his mouth before Michael even came into his line of sight.

“Guerin, I can’t do this” Alex started “because yeah I like you as a friend but nothing more than that… and there’s someone out there who’s clearly too shy to ask me out themselves but maybe one day they won’t be”

“How about tonight then?”

Alex knew that voice. He turned around, heart racing as his eyes set upon Max Evans who was walking towards him holding a single black rose.

“Max?” Alex coughed to clear his throat “I uh thought you were Guerin”

“He uh he’s not coming” Max nervously replied.

His heart sank into his stomach. Had he really just been stood up on a friend-date? Was he that pathetic that Michael ditched him without so much as a text?

“Got a better offer, huh?” Alex choked on the words.

“Yeah” Max admitted “I uh paid him not to show up”

“Really?”

Alex wasn’t sure what to say as Max stepped onto the gazebo.

“And here I thought it was Kyle who just wanted to humiliate me” Alex added.

“Humiliate you?” Max repeated. “Alex, haven’t you figured it out yet?”

He shyly held the black rose out for Alex who simply stared at it, very confused.

“You laugh and it makes me smile” Max said. “Your eyes shine brighter than the sun and the moon”

Alex swallowed nervously as Max recited several of the notes his mystery admirer had left for him.

“I wish you were mine” Max added. “Will you be my valentine?”

He stood, looking like a stunned mullet as he stared at Max in complete confusion. His heart was pounding in his chest as Max’s extended hand shook with nerves. His eyes flickered from the rose to Max’s eyes and back again.

“I’ve never done anything like this before” Max began, his voice a mix of mumbling and nervous coughing. “And I was scared of… being rejected so I thought I’d start simple but I didn’t realize you were…. misreading my intention… When I saw how… saw that they’d had the opposite effect, I didn’t know how to fix it without owning up and I was even more embarrassed by that point”

Alex slowly nodded his head in understanding. Max was still holding the rose out to him.

“When you came into the Crashdown and said ‘yes’ to a date with Michael it was like a punch in my gut” Max continued “and Michael admitted that he knew I was the ones leaving the notes for you” he cleared his throat “I accused him of playing you and he said he was playing me… to get me to own up to liking you”

“So he never intended to show up tonight?”

He had very mixed feelings right now. Alex knew he should be mad at both of them for making him a pawn in their game but a part of him could understand where they were both coming from.

“Michael came over to borrow a tux” Max admitted. “He said it was up to me to decide which one of us would come meet you tonight because we both agreed that someone as amazing as you should never be stood up”

Max took another step forward then another.

“Either way, neither one of us would have let you be alone tonight… Michael because he’s the sweetest friend you could ask for and me… I’d never want you to be alone on Valentine’s day or any day because I’ve liked you for as long as I can remember”

“Max-”

“I never, ever thought someone as incredibly unique as you would ever look at a… shy, quiet nerd like me… And I wanted so badly to impress you with words of love but all I did was scare you into thinking you had a creep stalking you”

Alex could feel his resolve crumbling. Max Evans was staring at him like a wounded puppy, offering him his heart and Alex didn’t know how to respond. He was beyond relieved that he didn’t have a stalker but if he was going to have one, a part of him would be okay with it being Max.

He slowly reached out to take the black rose from Max’s hand. Their fingers touched as Max passed the rose to Alex. Their eyes met and Alex’s heart skipped another beat.

“Where did you…?” Alex began. “A black rose?”

“You asked” Max replied “in class one day; you asked about the different colors of roses and if it were possible to get one…” he paused “I went to every florist in town… had to buy a round dozen too so was uh gonna stagger giving them to you over the next few days...”

“You bought me a dozen roses” Alex repeated.

“Yeah, I did”

“Because I mentioned it in class one day?”

“Okay, yeah, I guess that puts me back in stalker territory but I just wanted to do something outside the box, something no one else would think to do for you”

Hands still touching as they both held the rose, Alex moved even closer so their bodies were practically touching. He swallowed back a nervous reply as Max slowly leaned towards him.

His breath hitched as Max’s lips touched his in a simple, gentle kiss. They held it for a beat before Max slowly pulled away.

Alex opened his eyes and looked at Max. Neither of them knew what to say. Both giggled somewhat nervously.

“Did you still want to go to the dance?” Max asked him.

“I uh never really wanted to go to the dance” Alex admitted. “Maybe we could just stay here?”

“I’d like that,” Max said with a smile.

Alex held the rose in his hand, reached for Max’s with his other hand and guided him towards the edge of the gazebo. He placed the rose on the sill for safekeeping then reached up, placed his hand to Max’s cheek.

“I’m sorry I don’t have a gift for you” Alex whispered.

“You being here is gift enough” Max replied.

Alex chuckled.

“See, you can say romantic things” he said “you just can’t seem to put it on paper”

“Maybe you’ll let me spend the foreseeable practicing until I finally get it right”

“I’d like that”

Max leaned forward and kissed him again.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Alex” Max whispered.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Max” Alex replied.

They each leaned in for another kiss. Both finally happy for the truth to be out, their feelings known and to be in each other’s arms.

It was better than any Valentine’s day Alex could dream of.

  
  
  
  
**THE END!**


	3. Still in Suspense

He barely made it outside before collapsing against the side wall of the Crashdown. His heart was racing as he realized he’d just accepted a friend date with  _ Michael Guerin _ for Valentine’s Day.

He drew a breath as he pushed off the wall and started down the street. The side door opened and Rosa Ortecho appeared; she looked angry so Alex decided not to engage with her but as soon as her eyes locked on to him, her expression softened.

“Alex” she greeted him with a smile.

“Hey” he fell in step with her “where you headed?”

“Anywhere but here”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just going through some stuff”

“You wanna talk about it?”

“You seriously wanna hear about my Valentine’s day drama?” She replied, rolling her eyes.

“Ohhh, boy trouble?” He teased.

“Not exactly”

“Girl trouble?”

“I don’t want to talk about it; please tell me you at least have a date”

“Kinda”

Rosa frowned at him.

“Oh no, Alex, please don’t fall for that” she pressed.

“Fall for what?” He asked.

“Someone who acts like they like you to your face but will throw you into the bushes to stop anyone seeing you together”

It was Alex’s turn to frown. He was pretty sure Michael wasn’t the type to do that… neither was he, right? By accepting a date with Michael but still being on the lookout for his mystery note sender, was he being  _ that guy _ ?

“He’s not like that” Alex replied. “At least I… don’t think he is”

“Just be careful, Alex, I’d hate to see you get hurt”

She petted his arm then turned and wandered off down the street. He didn’t go after her but a part of him  _ was  _ tempted to go back inside and tell Michael their ‘date’ was off.

He didn’t though but he  _ was  _ tempted.

**-**

Alex spent the entire weekend in a panic, thinking and rethinking what Rosa had said to him. 

Michael had been clear in his intentions of asking Alex to the dance as friends but the fact remained that Michael was clearly okay with being seen  _ at  _ the dance  _ with  _ Alex. Was Michael gay? Bi? Ace? Did he just not care what people thought of him?

Max had clearly been surprised to learn Michael had asked Alex to the dance. Was he jealous? Were Max and Michael secretly a thing and he suddenly didn’t want to share him?

He spent the weekend pouring over all the notes he’d gotten but he paid careful attention to the two Michael had confessed to. Reading the words on the page made him blush which made him feel giddy that Michael had wanted to  _ make  _ him blush. He picked up the note asking him to the dance and his stomach flip flopped.

Alex needed a distraction so he put the notes aside and picked up his guitar but as he strummed the familiar notes, he found himself blushing again as he examined his fingers. 

He tried to imagine what it would feel like to run his fingers through Michael’s curls. They always looked so soft and messy.

He closed his eyes as an image of Michael filled his mind. He could see himself sliding one hand under his sweater and another in his fluffy curls while their lips came together in soft, sensual kisses… or what he imagined sensual kisses looked and felt like. He’d never kissed a boy before, never even held hands with one aside from the other day when Max had helped him to his feet but that didn’t count.

Alex sat up and pulled his guitar into his lap, suddenly aware that his pants had become somewhat tighter after his day dreaming about Michael. He blushed, thankful no one else was around to see it.

But now his mind was made up. First thing at school tomorrow, he was going to have to tell Michael their date was off.

**-**

It was easier said than done; the moment Alex got to school, he was on the lookout for Michael but his classmate was nowhere to be found. His truck was parked in the usual spot by the bleachers so he had to be around somewhere. Alex checked the locker room and the library but no luck. 

When he found Max, he wasn’t sure if he should as if he knew where he was. In the end he decided not to ask, he’d offloaded enough on Max already without him thinking Alex was now stalking Michael.

Alex  _ finally  _ located him during lunch; Michael was sitting on the flatbed of his truck trying to finish his homework and he suddenly didn’t want to bother him but he told himself he had to.

“Hey” Alex softly called to him as he moved closer, leaned casually against the side of the truck.

Michael looked up and his lips curled into a smile. He immediately closed his calc book and gave Alex his undivided attention.

“Can we talk?” Alex added.

“Sure” Michael scooted over. “Hop in”

“Nah, I uh I’m good here” Alex replied “it’s just uh I don’t think this is such a good idea anymore”

“What isn’t?”

“You and me, the Valentine’s dance”

“Oh? Get a better offer?”

“What?” Alex gasped. “No!”

“I mean, you do have a mystery admirer” Michael continued “surely if he comes forward before the dance you’d rather go with him?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets before squinting into the sunlight, trying to look at Michael.

“I’m doing this for you, Guerin” Alex stated.

“How so?”

“I’m the only out queer kid at school; you said yourself that you’ve heard what Kyle and his friends say about me… Do you really want to be tainted with the same brush? The second we walk into that dance together, everyone will see you the same way”

“Maybe I don’t care what people think”

“Well maybe you should”

“See now I’m thinking you’re just hoping your mystery guy is someone better than me and you wanna dump me beforehand so you don’t look like a jerk”

Alex heard him loud and clear but instead of walking away, he hoisted himself into the back of the truck with Michael.

“That’s the thing” Alex admitted “I don’t know if I want to know who he is. Some of those notes were really creepy and if he’s not going to come clean with me… is it a great idea to start a relationship on such… misleading terms?”

“Alex?”

“I just… I know you asked me to the dance as friends but… I don’t want that… I know why you asked me and it was very sweet of you, Guerin, but I… I’d like to go with someone for real, on an actual date, where we can hold hands and dance and maybe kiss and-”

“Well it  _ can  _ be, if that’s what you want”

“What?”

“Alex… I’d like to be the one to hold your hand and dance with you but I… didn’t think you’d want to… to… really do that with me… that’s why I asked you as a friend, so that if Kyle or one of his friends tried to mess with you, I’d be there for you”

“So you  _ don’t  _ want to go as friends?”

“I’d rather go as a date date”

Alex’s heartbeat doubled at Michael’s confession.

“Me too” he whispered “but no corsages or anything like that”

“Pick you up at seven?”

“The dance starts at eight”

“Figure we’d have dinner first”

“Oh” Alex blushed.

“So, pick you up at seven?”

“I uh probably best you don’t… my dad… I can meet you at the Crashdown though”

“Sure, it's a date”

“It’s a date”

Alex smiled and started to climb down from the truck when Michael reached over, grabbed his arm. He immediately stopped and looked at him. Michael leaned over and very briefly kissed his cheek. Alex blushed before he pulled away. He awkwardly stumbled down, feet unsteady, he started to walk away; was halfway to the building when he turned back and saw Michael smiling at him. His heart skipped a beat.

**-**

Alex decided to skip going to the music room after school so he didn’t go to his locker. It wasn’t until he got home that he realized he hadn’t looked for a new note. Had he subconsciously decided he didn’t need one? 

He’d told Michael this mystery admirer was staying in the shadows but Michael  _ wasn’t _ . When Alex had said he wanted something real, someone to hold hands with and dance with, maybe even kiss… Michael had stepped up and said he wanted that too.

Did he  _ really  _ need to spend time thinking about someone who didn’t care enough to reveal their identity? Maybe they were just shy? Maybe they weren’t ready to publicly be  _ out  _ yet? But maybe Alex didn’t want to sit around and wait on a ‘maybe’.

Did that make him a bad person? Someone had taken the time to pursue him, he’d been a mix of flattered and scared. What if this person really was a stalker? What if they found out about Michael and tried to eliminate him?

This last thought caused him to take a sharp turn and promptly fall off his skateboard. He sat on the sidewalk, watching the blood trickling down his arm and feeling like someone was watching him. He didn’t dare look up from fear of being right.

A car horn sounded and he looked up to find Michael’s truck, the man himself leaning out the window, looking at him with concern.

“Are you okay?” Michael called.

“Uh yeah I guess”

Cheeks flushed with embarrassment, Alex climbed to his feet then slowly approached Michael’s truck. His eyes darkened when he saw the blood on Alex’s arm.

“You’re bleeding”

He reached out and found a tissue which he handed to Alex.

“Get in” he added.

“I’m fine, I don’t need a hospital”

“Was just gonna take you home and patch you up”

“Oh”

“Unless you don’t want me to”

“No, I uh don’t not want that”

He threw his bag and skateboard into the back of the truck then climbed in the passenger seat. He dabbed at the trickling blood as Michael drove the streets. 

Alex was kind of nervous; he had no idea where Michael lived. The rumor being that he lived in his truck. It was fueled by the pillow and blankets he kept in the back.

But he was beyond confused when Michael pulled up outside the Evans’s home. Michael climbed out then indicated for Alex to do the same. He followed him past the front and around the side gate. Michael opened the window and peeked his head in.

“Looks like he’s not home” Michael swung himself onto the sill like a man who’d had a lot of practice. He offered his hand to Alex who hesitated.

“Come on, Alex, the sooner we go in the sooner we’ll be out” he reasoned.

Breaking and entering wasn’t on his list of things to do today but when he looked into Michael’s eyes, he found himself reaching for his hand.

They both dropped inside without a sound. Michael sneaked over and pressed his ear to the door. It didn’t sound like anyone was home.

He took Alex’s hand and guided him into Max’s bathroom. Michael set him down on the closed toilet lid then rummaged in the cabinet behind the sink for antiseptic cream and bandaids.

“Are you sure this is Max’s bathroom?” Alex asked. “That’s a lot of nail polish remover”

Michael laughed.

“I just can’t imagine he’s the nail polish type” he added.

“Something you didn’t know the two of you have in common?”

Alex laughed, still trying to picture Max wearing nail polish. It definitely seemed like more of a Michael thing… he accidentally said that aloud then blushed.

Michael approached with the antiseptic cream and knelt on the floor beside Alex. He gently reached up and applied the cream to Alex’s cut. It stung but being so close to Michael was distracting enough that he barely noticed it.

“Fine” Michael confessed. “It  _ is  _ mine but I couldn’t keep it at home; my foster father is strict”

“I uh I get it” Alex replied. His own father wasn’t exactly father of the year.

Michael continued to apply the cream before he reached for a bandage and carefully placed it over the cut. They were so close that Alex could feel Michael’s breath on his face; his heart was thumping loudly, was certain Michael could hear it. They looked into each other’s eyes, both moving slowly towards each other.

“Michael?”

Max’s voice caused them both to leap far apart. Michael placed his finger to Alex’s lips and whispered for him to not say a word. He jumped up, ran from the room and closed the door behind him.

Alex quietly slipped from the bathroom and into Max’s room. It felt strange being in his room without his permission but that didn’t stop him having a tiny snoop. Max’s desk was piled high with books; he picked up the top one which was a collection of Shakespeare’s sonnets. 

An uneasy shiver passed down his spine which caused him to drop the book. It landed on his foot and bounced off; he quietly swore then knelt down to pick it up.

Something under the bed caught his eye and he moved the duvet to reveal a typewriter. His entire body tensed but when he heard Michael’s voice in the hall, he put the book back where he found it and hurriedly climbed out the window.

He stealthily made his way to Michael’s truck, grabbed his bag and skateboard and hurried away.

*

His heart was racing as he made his way through the streets to his own home. Each time he looked down at the bandage on his arm, he thought of how close he’d been to kissing Michael and had to stop to collect himself.

Was it possible  _ Max Evans _ was his mystery admirer? The mystery note sender? One of the earliest notes was a Shakespeare quote, they were typed on a typewriter and Max had been very surprised to learn Michael had asked Alex to the dance…

Michael and Max were best friends; Alex didn’t want to come between them. What was he going to do?

##################  


**If you’d like Michael to be Alex’s Valentine, Proceed to CHAPTER FOUR**

**If you’d like Michael AND Max to** **_both_ ** **be Alex’s Valentine, Proceed to CHAPTER FIVE**


	4. Michael

He didn’t have Michael’s number, wasn’t even sure Michael had a phone so he couldn’t attempt to reach out to him until the next morning.

He’d stayed up half the night, weighing up his options. Alex definitely felt an attraction to Michael, had been looking forward to his date with him and his heart had swelled at the possibility of almost kissing him.

But Max was a nice guy; remembering their conversation about the notes, he did genuinely believe they were innocent and not stalkery. Max Evans was not a stalker… But Alex didn’t really like him in that way, did he?

If both Max and Michael liked him, he definitely felt a stronger connection with Michael… But he didn’t want to mess with their friendship.

It was probably best he nip it in the bud.

So the following morning he headed off to school, resigned to the fact he was about to end a relationship that hadn’t even begun yet. He found Michael’s truck, with Michael curled up asleep in the back and just observed his sleeping form. He couldn’t wake him, simply walked away and promised himself to talk to him later.

Alex considered confronting Max but reasoned it didn’t feel right since he’d only figured it out by snooping in Max’s room. He insisted he talk to Michael instead.

They didn’t have the chance to talk in class and Michael had detention after school. Alex finally searched his locker and found the previous day’s note which read ‘save the last dance for me?’

His mystery admirer was either asking him to the dance in a roundabout way or they’d somehow learned he was going with Michael… Max was the only one who knew Michael had asked him.

Alex made his way to Michael’s truck and climbed in the back to wait for him. He didn’t snoop through his meager belongings even if he did really want to. He opened one of his text books and tried to read it until detention was over.

“Talk about deja vu” Michael’s voice reached him before he did and Alex looked up to see him approaching. His heart skipped a beat, remembering how close they’d been to sharing a kiss.

“Yeah, no kidding” Alex agreed. “Maybe even more than you know”

“Oh?”

Michael dropped the tailgate and climbed into the truck with Alex. His hand twitched as though wanting to reach for his. Alex had to look away.

“I came to break up with you” Alex cut straight to the point.

“Break up with me?” Michael frowned “I didn’t realize we were together”

“I can’t go to the dance with you”

“What’s the excuse this time? Is it the mystery guy?”

“Yeah, I think it is”

“You think?”

Alex took a deep breath then slowly released it, squinting into the sun as he looked over at Michael…. who was staring back at him with his deep, beautiful eyes and all Alex wanted to do was kiss him. He quickly looked away and stared down at his hands.

“I’m sorry I took off on you yesterday” he began. “I just… didn’t want to get caught in Max’s room like that”

“You think he’d’ve cared? You were hurt, I was helping”

“I just… saw some stuff and needed time to think”

“Think?”

“I don’t think we should do this because… Because I think Max is my secret admirer”

He didn’t look up but he did close his eyes at the sound of Michael’s gentle laughter.

“Max?” He chuckled. “You think Max likes you like that? Where would you get an idea like that?”

“In his room yesterday; I saw the book of Shakespeare Sonnets which on its own isn’t that big a thing but I was surprised and I dropped it” he nervously grasped at his necklace for something to do “and when I picked it up, I found his typewriter under the bed”

He finally looked up and Michael was staring at him.

“My point is…” Alex continued “the two of you are friends… closer than friends… and I… I can’t get in the way of that. I like you, Guerin, but I don’t want that to hurt him or vice versa… If he’d asked me to the dance first, I’d’ve said yes and then you might’ve got hurt” he paused “Liz, Maria, we’ve always said friendship is more important than anything else… that we’d never let a guy come between us… So I don’t want to be that guy for you and Max. I think we should just stay friends and not go to the dance together”

He didn’t wait for a response, simply started to climb from the truck but Michael reached for his hand and held it.

“Wait!” Michael whispered. Alex paused and looked at their hands. “I’m sorry”

He slowly looked up and met Michael’s gaze.

“I’m sorry I lied to you, Alex” he said. “About everything”

“What?”

“Max isn’t your secret admirer… I am”

Alex frowned as he yanked his hand free and stared at Michael in confusion.

“Wha… What?” He asked. “You said-”

“I lied… I sent all the notes but I panicked when I was on the spot and thought you were hoping for someone better”

“Guerin-”

“I used Max’s typewriter because it was easy for me to get to and so you wouldn’t recognize my handwriting… I even used that book because it was right there on Max’s desk… and I’m not good at thinking of romantic things so my attempts were terrible, borderline stalkery even”

“Guerin-”

“But I’d hoped to tell you after the dance or at least after I was sure that you liked me and weren’t just waiting for someone else to come along”

Alex had no idea what to say to Michael’s confession.

“You sent all the notes?” He whispered.

“Yeah… about the way you look in the sunlight and how I just want to make you smile…”

“Why? Why would you do that?”

“Because I was nervous about telling you that I liked you; I mean, yeah the rumors about you were just that, rumors but I wanted to be sure and since you didn’t seem opposed to a guy liking you…” he paused “I really am sorry and I understand if you don’t want to go to the dance with me anymore”

Michael slowly moved past Alex, slid off the flatbed and started to walk away. Alex didn’t know where he was heading but he knew this conversation was far from over.

He got up too, leaped from the back of the truck and hurried after him. Alex caught up in a few strides, grabbed Michael by the arm and spun him around so they were face to face.

In one swift movement, he leaned forward and kissed him. Time appeared to freeze as their lips came together in a deep kiss, arms encircling the other to pull their bodies closer. Seconds felt like hours as they lost themselves in the embrace.

When they finally parted, both panting for breath, Alex leaned closer. Foreheads pressed together, warm breath on each other’s skin. He softly whispered to Michael.

“I don’t want to wait till Thursday night” he said. “Will you go out with me tonight? So we can talk about everything and make sure we’re on the same page?”

“Pick you up at six?”

“Let’s go now… after we uh make out in your truck for a bit”

Michael led Alex back to his truck where they curled up on the flatbed and kissed for a long, long time. When they finally parted, fearing their lips were chafing, Michael looked into Alex’s eyes.

“Will you still save the last dance for me?” He whispered.

“Guerin, every dance I dance will be with you” Alex replied with a smile.

**THE END!**


	5. Michael & Max

Alex had no other choice; he needed help and didn’t know where else to turn. Instead of going home, he headed for the Crashdown but as soon as he stepped inside, he started to panic. 

Rosa took one look at him, grabbed his arm and hustled him right up the stairs into the bedroom she shared with Liz. Her sister just happened to be sitting on her bed, studying, but like Rosa she took one look at Alex and immediately closed her book.

Alex was grateful they were both there for him and within seconds the entire story came spilling from his lips. From the notes to telling Max to Michael asking him to the dance to the typewriter under Max’s bed. Both girls listened, neither interrupted, just listened until he collapsed in an exhausted heap upon Rosa’s bed.

“Wow” Liz exclaimed. “That’s… a lot”

“I know” he moaned.

“So two hot guys are fighting over you?” Rosa asked.

“I don’t know that for sure but it kinda seems like it”

“Let them fight it out” Rosa suggested. “At the dance even… whoever wins, you go out with”

“I can’t do  _ that! _ ” Alex hissed.

“Why not?”

“Do  _ you  _ like both of them?” Liz asked “or maybe one more than the other?”

“I kinda always suspected those two were… you know…  _ together _ ?” Rosa whispered loudly.

“I don’t know,” Alex admitted. “I mean, yeah they’re both really hot. Max has that whole angsty nerd thing going for him but Guerin is rough around the edges… and those  _ curls _ ! I just want to run my fingers through them, pull on them and make him groan”

“Okay, too much information” Liz laughed.

“I could hear more,” Rosa added.

“You need to talk to them both about this; you said Michael admitted to sending notes but maybe Max did send the others… I uh know he’s a bit of an old soul”

“But they’re both nice, sweet, gorgeous guys” Alex said “how am I supposed to choose between them? Also, they’re friends! I don’t want to be  _ that guy  _ who comes between two best friends”

“You’ll never know unless you talk to them”

He buried his head in Rosa’s pillow. Trying to choose between two best friends wasn’t something he ever wanted to do but did he want to be alone just to preserve a friendship?

*

Alex tried to act normal but at lunchtime on Valentine’s day, he finally cracked and went looking for Michael who was eating lunch with Max and Isobel. He couldn’t approach, didn't want to have such an awkward conversation in front of  _ her _ , about  _ that _ .

He bided his time but inevitably chickened out. Alex promised himself when he met Michael for the dance tonight, he’d come clean… so he only had a couple more hours to decide exactly what he needed to say. 

All of which he completely forgot once he was standing before Michael by his truck outside the school.

He looked very different in his nice suit, with a smile on his face and his curls an unruly mess around his face. Alex still longed to touch those beautiful curls.

“Wow” Alex coughed “you uh you clean up nice”

“So do you” Michael replied with a wide smile. “I uh particularly like the eyeliner”

Alex blushed as Michael reached for his hand but he nervously pulled away.

“Can we talk?” Alex started, nervously.

“Uh oh” Michael said. “That doesn’t sound good”

“You uh you swear you only sent me two notes?”

“Yes”

“Do you know who sent the others?”

“Why would  _ I  _ know?”

“ _ Do you know _ ?”

Michael sighed and slowly loosened his tie.

“Yeah, I know” he admitted.

“Is it Max Evans?” Alex asked.

“It’s not my place to say”

“Guerin!”

“It’s not my place to say” he repeated himself.

Alex folded his arms across his chest.

“I think it  _ is  _ him” Alex continued “but he’s not coming forward for whatever reason…”

“Maybe he’s just shy?”

“Or maybe he doesn’t want to compete with you?”

“Compete? You think you’re a prize we’re going to fight over?”

“That’s not what…” he unfolded his arms “you two are friends, close friends, and I don’t want to get in the way of that”

“What do you mean by  _ close friends _ ?” Michael asked.

“Oh come on, everyone knows you two are practically inseparable” Alex said “you coming and going all hours of the day and night from his bedroom… I mean, you took me to his place to patch me up and then you didn’t want him to know I was even there”

“Alex-”

“Is my being here with you going to cause problems between you and Max?” Alex asked him.

“No” Michael insisted.

“How can you be  _ sure _ ?”

“Because we talked about it, okay?”

Alex swallowed nervously.

“You… talked about it… About  _ me _ ?” He frowned.

“Yeah” Michael replied in defeat. “You just said that Max and I are  _ close _ … well… he and I also… we both… we both admitted to having a crush on  _ someone  _ and,” he paused “we thought, people would talk less if we didn’t spend so much time together so we agreed to… pursue our crushes”

“Guerin-”

“We thought it made sense but obviously we didn’t know that we both liked  _ you _ ”

Alex shifted.

“I mean I didn’t know” he said “until I panicked and stole the note  _ back _ from your locker and you admitted to getting other notes… but I couldn’t confront him, not after I finally had it in me to ask you to the dance”

“This is just crazy” Alex snapped.

“Trust me, it gets crazier” Michael assured him “after you came into the Crashdown and said yes to me, Max and I had to have it out”

“Was it bad? Awkward?”

“It wasn’t… great… but we talked about a lot of stuff and… we came to an… agreement”

“An  _ agreement _ ? About  _ me _ ?”

“Max was okay with me taking you to the dance” Michael explained.

“Oh he was, was he?”

Alex could feel both anger and embarrassment building. Michael’s spiel about asking him to the dance as a precaution so he couldn’t be played or humiliated by Kyle was coming back to haunt him.

“I told Max I liked you” Michael insisted. “But I’m a screw up, Alex, and no matter what I do, it’s inevitable that I  _ will  _ find a way to blow it… That I  _ will _ eventually hurt you”

“Guerin-”

“So I begged Max… to wait… so that once I ruin things  _ completely _ with you, he could be there to help you past it”

“Wait!” Alex held up his hand to silence Michael. “So you’re saying that you’re anticipating me falling in love with you then you breaking my heart and fobbing me off to Max afterwards?”

“Alex-”

“And that Max is okay with taking me as your sloppy seconds?”

“It sounds way worse when you put it like  _ that _ ”

“Guerin!” Alex hissed.

“ _ Fine _ ” Michael snapped “that's only because we didn’t think you’d like idea number one”

“Number one? So  _ that  _ plan was the backup one?”

Michael held his hands up in surrender; his phone clutched in one which he showed to Alex.

“Just, hold that thought, okay?” He said to him,

Alex wanted to walk away but he was curious as to what plan A had been. He watched as Michael brought the phone to his ear.

“Hey Max,” he said. “So uh are you at the dance yet?... You haven’t gone in?... No, it’s uh not going so well… Can you meet us at the bleachers?... Awesome”

Michael slipped his phone back into his pocket then they simply stared at each other until Max finally joined them.

Alex watched as Max made his way towards them, looking handsome in his suit. His mouth suddenly went very dry.

“What’s going on?” Max asked them. “Why aren’t you at the dance?”

“Alex is onto us” Michael confessed.

“Onto us?” Michael repeated.

“What’s going on here?” Alex asked them both. “What was Plan A?”

“You  _ told  _ him there was a Plan A?” Max gasped. “And a Plan B?”

“Yeah, kinda” Michael replied.

“ _ What were you thinking _ ?” Max hissed.

“I’m leaving” Alex declared.

He started to walk away, past Max, who reached out and grabbed his hand to stop him.

“Alex, wait” Max begged. “Please don’t go”

Alex did stop; he turned around and looked at Max before his eyes flicked across to Michael. He stared hard at Michael before he shifted and kissed Max. He heard Michael gasp but was relieved that Max didn’t pull away.

When they finally parted, he immediately looked back at Michael, waited for him to say something.

“Well, that was  _ hot _ ” he whispered.

“Guerin!” Alex hissed.

“If you were trying to make me jealous, it did the opposite” Michael teased.

Max wrapped his hand around Alex’s bicep to stop him from trying to run away.

“He wasn’t kidding,” Max said to him. “That uh that actually  _ was  _ Plan A… that if it were possible to…” he lowered his voice “to  _ share  _ you”

Alex yanked his arm free, staring at him in shock.

“Are you  _ kidding  _ me?” Alex cried. “Share me? Like I  _ am _ some prize in a stupid game you two are playing?”

“No!” Michael cried “it’s not like  _ that _ . Max and I… have fun together and… we thought, for like a minute, that you might want to be a part of that”

His eyes trailed from Max to Michael and back again. 

“Have you ever been  _ with  _ someone?” Max asked him and Alex shook his head. Michael moved closer, into Alex’s personal space.

“Wanna be with  _ two  _ someone’s?” Michael whispered in Alex’s ear.

A part of him was still hurt, angry but having both Max and Michael pressed so closely to him was quite the turn on especially once Michael started kissing his neck. He reached up and pulled Max to him in another kiss.

“Is that a yes?” Max asked him.

“Yes” Alex whispered. “Take me now, both of you”

They moved as one towards Michael’s truck and all three climbed into the back as heated kisses were exchanged.

None of them made it to the dance; they didn’t mind.

**THE END!**


End file.
